Dead Leaves

Dead Leaves is the name of a lunar penitentiary where mutant inmates are subjected to cloning experiments conducted by a sadistic warden and his goon-ish correctional guards. Into this environment come two new troublesome prisoners, Pandy and Retro, the former an attitude-challenged chick with a fondness for extreme punk makeup, while the latter is a dude who wears a television set over his head. The couple turned to crime after they awoke one morning naked with the previous eight years of their respective lives erased from their memories, embarking on a spree that progressed from armed robbery to cop killing. At Dead Leaves (obviously a coed prison, since they are not separated), the pair bring their violent personalities into a volatile environment and wind up leading the genetically-botched inmates in a revolt and mass escape. While few turn to anime in search of logical storytelling or polite situations, Dead Leaves is challenging even for the most diehard anime addict, thanks to its relentless violence, grotesque characters, and disturbing plot twists (it's hard to name another film that offers so much death, dismemberment, and nauseating imagery in a tight 50 minutes). Viewers will either cringe as it skewers (literally and figuratively) the basic conventions of decency and good taste, or love it for its outlandish energy and overkill personality. Easily earning its 17-up rating, this dual-language anime also features 30 minutes of DVD extras, including a director's commentary, "making-of" featurette, film premiere Q&A, and more. Recommended for more adventurous anime collections. Aud: P. (P. Hall)